Caution: Do you really need a humidifier?

[bjstrings]

What feels humid to some people may not really be so much.  Depends on what you're used to. Same with dry.  Some places I've lived, everyone complains about the humidity when it hits 60%RH, because its usually around , say, 30%.  To me, neither is extreme.  90%RH or more is humid and WILL damage almost any guitar.  So will 10%RH or less on the dry side.  Getting an in-case humidifier is so easy and, today, pretty hassle-free, why not?  At least that's what I tell myself.  What others do with their guitars is up to them.

[Dale_I]

bjstrings (Mike) brings up an excellent point. I'm sure there are many areas where the ambient humidity will not run into extremes except for brief periods. Personal perception of what humid is will be varied and highly dependant on what your body has become accustomed to. The Mazatlan vacation I wrote about earlier was a family reunion. My dad, who lives in north Texas on a lake, didn't sweat all that much. I was changing shirts three times a day.

I guess the point is, knowing what the ambient humidity is would probably let you know if you need a humidifier, or if you need to extract water from the air using a zorb-it style device. Unless your guitars are outside, I would not depend on the evening news weather person. Items like air conditioners and furnaces can make the ambient air in your house drastically different from the outside.

Humidity in Spokane today is 30%, but inside the house with the air conditioner on is less. As mentioned, hygrometers are not expensive and sticking one in the room where you keep your guitars probably isn't a difficult task.

[ducktrapper]

It all depends on your area's relative humidity and whether you care very much if your guitar cracks. First things first. You need an accurate hygrometer before you need a humidifier. That should answer the question. Then if you need humidity, you should humidify the entire house or apartment. Your guitars, plants, animals and other living things will thank you. 
Creature, you've either been lucky or your area is a guitar oasis.   

[rrgguitarman]

My guitars (I only have 2) are left out on stands all year

May I ask if they are "Solid Wood" guitars?
I've never heard of anyone leaving their guitars out all year long on a stand and not have any problems...of course you might live in an area where the humidity is "perfect" if so, you are very fortunate!

Which would be GREAT!

[Caleb]

May I ask if they are "Solid Wood" guitars?
I've never heard of anyone leaving their guitars out all year long on a stand and not have any problems...of course you might live in an area where the humidity is "perfect" if so, you are very fortunate!

Which would be GREAT!

One's all solid (Larrivee), the other is all lam (Takamine). My mandolin, which also sits out all of the time is all solid.  No problems.

[bjstrings]

Very interesting.  Where do you live? What kind of heating system does your house have?  Don't mean to pry, but it would all affect the guitars' woods.

[Caleb]

Very interesting.  Where do you live? What kind of heating system does your house have?  Don't mean to pry, but it would all affect the guitars' woods.

I live in Texas. Central heat/air.  We keep it really cold in our house all the time, summer and winter.  It stays about 68 degrees in our house all year round.  I don't know anything about the humidity in the house or in the air. All I know is that my guitars are all ok. 

[bjstrings]

At least in the winter, keeping it cool has an effect on humidity levels.  And in Texas, I'd expect, it wouldn't get too dry (inside during the winter).  If you're in Minnesota, for instance, with minus 10 outside &, say, 75F inside, a guitar can crack and crumble as quick as a saltine unde a steam roller.

[piscator]

I have several old sling hygrometers.  My problem is that I can't figure out how to swing them inside the case without hitting the guitar. ;-)

[Mr_LV19E]

  but I'm afraid not many people will know what you're talking about, good one though.

[Scott LSV-11E]

Yes, you really do. I never bothered with my solid wood 1970 D-35 Guild and it came apart. I was a kid, I didn't care, and I could be still playing it. It was a sweet guitar. Died due to my neglect of the humidity factor. 

I live in New England, and we are just turning on our heating systems now. I have forced hot air. I have several humidifiers for personal comfort. The longest lasting one is this model holmes, perhaps because the fan motor is excellent:

http://www.shoplet.com/office/db/HLSHM3500.html

I have a guard father in my semi-hollow and dampits in my mandolin and acoustics. I'll look into the planet waves thing, since dampits definitely do not regulate anything.

The Music Emporium, which is the high end guitar shop in the area uses the biggest Sears one, which I also have, but mine has seen better days:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03214416000P?vName=Appliances&cName=Small+Home+Appliances&sName=Humidifiers

That's the closest one to my model.

Of course it depends on the climate. But my 27 year old dreadnought is as true as the day I got it. Absolutely straight everywhere, and I've been diligent about keeping it from drying out. Most of Larrivee's discussion about care centers around this issue.

I grow too old too soon and too late smart.